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Looking back at the life of Oklahoma’s first black Senator

Former state Senator Melvin Porter died Tuesday. He was 86 years old. Now KOCO is looking back on the life of the first black Oklahoma Senator, who was also an attorney and a civil rights activist. Porter’s son sat down to talk with KOCO about the life his father led and his achievements.

Former state Senator Melvin Porter died Tuesday. He was 86 years old. Now KOCO is looking back on the life of the first black Oklahoma Senator, who was also an attorney and a civil rights activist. Porter’s son sat down to talk with KOCO about the life his father led and his achievements.

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Updated: 5:32 PM CDT Jul 27, 2016

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WEBVTT UT THE LIFE HIS FATHER LED AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS JESSIC KOCO'S MECCA RAYNE BRINGS YOU HIS STORY. MECCA: PAUL AND JESS, WE ARE JUST OUTSIDE THE LATE SENATOR'S SON'S LAW PRACTICE NOT FAR FROM THE CAPITOL. INSIDE, HE HAS SEVERAL PICTURES OF HIS FATHER, SHOWING HE TRULY WAS AN OKLAHOMA TRAILBLAZER. IF YOU LOOK HERE, HE IS RIGHT ALONGSIDE MARTIN LUTHER KING. THESE ARE THE MEMORIES THAT MAKE JOEL PORTER AND HIS SIX BROTHERS AND SISTERS VERY PROUD. THEI DAD, A DOLL -- COLLEGE GRAD, A VETERAN, AN ATTORNEY, AND A STATE SENATOR. >> HE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK TO BE ELECTED IN THE OKLAHOMA SENATE. MECCA: H SON JOEL SAYS IT WAS HIS LIFE'S WORK TO HELP BRING JUSTICE AND EQUALITY TO HIS HOME STATE OF OKLAHOMA. >> HE GOT INVOLVED WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS. HE HAD A PASSION TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER. MECCA: PORTER SAYS IT WASN'T AN EASY ROUTE. >> AS A RESULT OF SOME CONTROVERSY ISSUES THAT HE WAS INVOLV WITH, THERE WERE BOMB THREATS PUT AGAINST HIM. MECCA: BUT HE SAYS HIS FATHER WOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED HIS PATH, BELIEVING HIS WORK WAS IMPORTANT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THIS IS VIDEO FROM LAST YEAR WHEN HE WAS HONORED AT THE STATE SENATE. THAT WAS A HIGHLIGHT TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE STATE SENATE AND ADDRESS THE COLLEAGUES HE PAVED THE WAY FOR.

Looking back at the life of Oklahoma’s first black Senator

Former state Senator Melvin Porter died Tuesday. He was 86 years old. Now KOCO is looking back on the life of the first black Oklahoma Senator, who was also an attorney and a civil rights activist. Porter’s son sat down to talk with KOCO about the life his father led and his achievements.